Ed is in this crazy-negative phase. He just handed me a CD and asked "What is this?" and I answered "It's called Paris Combo" and he just grunts and replies "It's NOT Paris Combo!" I don't get this 3-year-old stage.
He also makes a sound like a very angry cat when he's mad, and he's big into announcing "I DON'T LOVE YOU" every chance he gets.
Joel took us (me, Lucy, Ed and Jean) to the Science Museum for my birthday a few weeks ago, to see the Titanic artifacts exhibit. It was a lovely day and before we went into the exhibit, we took a couple minutes to explain the sinking of the Titanic to the kids. They were surprisingly enthralled with the story and if I can figure it out I'll post a video of Eddie's recap of the story. It goes something like "The boat CRASHED into the iceberg and it went up and up and then it CRACKED and then it went downdowndown." Which is actually pretty accurate.
I'm sorry, I have about 100 other things to mention, like the fact that earlier this week I accidentally bought 12 pints of blueberries at Aldi ... and that we're taking a little trip to Winona this weekend (and Lucy keeps asking "When are we going to your COLLEGE?!!" ... and that Joel and Jean did their triathlon last Saturday and totally rocked... and that my folks were up for the tri and helped us clean out our whole backyard, making it a really pleasant place to be (finally!)... and that we found ANOTHER awesome little beach in Woodbury ... but I've GOT to go shower and get the kids to the park before we all implode.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
2 from Lu
Lucy found my high school varsity letters (from choir, of course, because they totally give letters for choir!) and asked what it was and why it was laying on the floor of my room. I explained what it was and that it was on the floor because I was putting some of my high school pictures on Facebook and the letters fell out of my scrapbook.
And Lucy asked, "Is it because you want to remember your childhood?"
Well, golly, I guess it is.
Also last week we were at the Dari-ette, and I took Lu to the potty, and as she was sitting there she remarked "Every time I sit on the potty, I go potty!"
Me: "Yeah, I guess."
Lucy: "Typically, that's just how my life goes."
And Lucy asked, "Is it because you want to remember your childhood?"
Well, golly, I guess it is.
Also last week we were at the Dari-ette, and I took Lu to the potty, and as she was sitting there she remarked "Every time I sit on the potty, I go potty!"
Me: "Yeah, I guess."
Lucy: "Typically, that's just how my life goes."
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Anybody want a condo?
My darling (I actually typed "daring" at first, which is not altogether inaccurate) sister is selling her condo. MLS # 3807174. It's in West Saint Paul, 3 BR/2 BA and it's a really nice place for $129K. Anyway... if you know anybody...
Lovely homes also still available in our neighborhood -- I think Alley Joel and Cara go on the market in the next few days here (*sob!*).
Lovely homes also still available in our neighborhood -- I think Alley Joel and Cara go on the market in the next few days here (*sob!*).
Thursday, July 02, 2009
They found the kids
Hey there, I completely forgot to post this and I know this is way-late, but they found Maya and Rojo Espinosa in North Dakota on June 6. I don't actually have any other details, but they are physically safe. Thanks everyone for your prayers and kind thoughts.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
My I key keeps breaking, this is a problem.
2 little Lucy things I forgot:
1. She is TOTALLY SWIMMING. 2 weekends ago we were at the lake. On Saturday she was laying in the water, "walking" her hands on the bottom and kicking her feet. On Sunday she was paddling with her hands and kicking, with a noodle around her middle. On Monday we went to the beach with the Watsons (and the Dalys, Hobdays, and Youngbergs) and Lucy saw Owen and Will swimming solo, and there were no noodles in sight, so she just up-n-started dog-paddling.
And to think I questioned Dan Fors when he said 6-year-olds could do actual strokes! Amazing!
Also, today in the bathroom at the Dari-ette, Lucy remarked on the fact that "Every time I sit on the potty, I go potty!" and I said, well, yeah, and then she added "Typically, my life goes like that."
Oh, and she saw a "No Parking" sign today on the way home from Jean's house, this one:
And she asked whether I'd seen "the R with the line through it" (I can see how she thought it was an R) and I said No, sorry, I missed it, and she said she'd keep it in her mind until we got home so she could draw it for me, and after we stopped at Aldi we got home and she grabbed paper and pencil and drew it for me, and I said Oh! and I explained that it meant No Parking, and she took that in and then commented, "Well, it would be nicer if they just said 'Please don't park here,'" and she totally has a point.
Carol remarked that we should have our government send 4-year-olds to all international negotiations, and things would probably go much more smoothly, and I can't argue.
Oh, and I'm sooooo excited about So You Think You Can Dance, and I adore Brandon and Janette and their cha-cha, and Philip and Jeanine were just MADE to do Nappy-Tab's choreography, and Melissa and Ade's ballet was gorgeous but completely unfair, no way did they pick that out of a hat unless it was a hatfull of ballet! and Evan and Randi's Sweet Charity number was also unfair in that it was choreographed by a six-foot-tall woman since E and R and both about Lucy's size, and I also loved Kupono and Kayla's vampire dance, and Vitolio and Karla, I like you too but that number just wasn't awesome, and I think Jason and Caitlin HAVE to go home this week because that B-Free Alien number was ridiculous, and not in the Mia-Michaels/Dan Karady way, but in the way that actually means "ridiculous."
1. She is TOTALLY SWIMMING. 2 weekends ago we were at the lake. On Saturday she was laying in the water, "walking" her hands on the bottom and kicking her feet. On Sunday she was paddling with her hands and kicking, with a noodle around her middle. On Monday we went to the beach with the Watsons (and the Dalys, Hobdays, and Youngbergs) and Lucy saw Owen and Will swimming solo, and there were no noodles in sight, so she just up-n-started dog-paddling.
And to think I questioned Dan Fors when he said 6-year-olds could do actual strokes! Amazing!
Also, today in the bathroom at the Dari-ette, Lucy remarked on the fact that "Every time I sit on the potty, I go potty!" and I said, well, yeah, and then she added "Typically, my life goes like that."
Oh, and she saw a "No Parking" sign today on the way home from Jean's house, this one:
And she asked whether I'd seen "the R with the line through it" (I can see how she thought it was an R) and I said No, sorry, I missed it, and she said she'd keep it in her mind until we got home so she could draw it for me, and after we stopped at Aldi we got home and she grabbed paper and pencil and drew it for me, and I said Oh! and I explained that it meant No Parking, and she took that in and then commented, "Well, it would be nicer if they just said 'Please don't park here,'" and she totally has a point.
Carol remarked that we should have our government send 4-year-olds to all international negotiations, and things would probably go much more smoothly, and I can't argue.
Oh, and I'm sooooo excited about So You Think You Can Dance, and I adore Brandon and Janette and their cha-cha, and Philip and Jeanine were just MADE to do Nappy-Tab's choreography, and Melissa and Ade's ballet was gorgeous but completely unfair, no way did they pick that out of a hat unless it was a hatfull of ballet! and Evan and Randi's Sweet Charity number was also unfair in that it was choreographed by a six-foot-tall woman since E and R and both about Lucy's size, and I also loved Kupono and Kayla's vampire dance, and Vitolio and Karla, I like you too but that number just wasn't awesome, and I think Jason and Caitlin HAVE to go home this week because that B-Free Alien number was ridiculous, and not in the Mia-Michaels/Dan Karady way, but in the way that actually means "ridiculous."
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday morning blues
The "I" key is totally broken on my laptop, so this will be an interesting experiment. Oh look! Apparently I can just press the little button underneath. I don't hardly miss it!
Well I just can't figure out this crazy weather. It's 90 degrees with blinding sunshine for a full week, and now it's overcast and about 55 at 8:30 AM. I really admire Minnesotans who choose to put a permanent pool in their backyards -- those are just the kind of glass-is-half-full eternal optimists that this world probably needs more of.
Took Ed in for his 3-month checkup and he is most assuredly a three-year-old boy. He got a giant kick out of the hearing test -- "I hear it mommy! I hear it!"
Lucy is my resident grumpy stick-in-the-mud -- I made plans today to take the kids to the Minnesota Zoo: the expensive, nice, far-away zoo in the area. Lucy, upon hearing of these plans, made a face and said she didn't want to go. Well, I'm not going to twist her arm and drag her across the metro against her will. She wants to stay home so we can get the free lunch that the playground down the street serves every weekday. That girl is one cheap date.
Last Saturday, Joel and Jean and Cameron and the rest of the girls from our coed softball team all competed in the Tri-Loppet in Minneapolis: 11k canoe, 5k trail run, 15k mountain bike. It was HARD and kinda miserable, and it really illustrated for me what dreadful shape I am in. OK don't get me wrong: the literal shape of me is fine, but all my lovely muscles have converted into mooshy flesh and bone and I hate it. After watching "So You Think You Can Dance" last Wednesday, I made a new-year resolution (it was my birthday, so it's a new year for me!) to exercise more regularly. Jean and I went for a run last night along the river and it was really perfect. Running really isn't my thing, but I can do 30 minutes every now and then.ooooooiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
OK I think I got the I key fixed. Gotta get moving on laundry and maybe organizing the kids' toys (again). Why is that such a nightmare?!?! I go to other people's houses and their kids' toys all seem to have places to be... not here! There's junk everywhere, nothing has all the pieces it came with, and nothing gets put away when it's done being played with.
Our neighbors' Hummer got towed at 11PM last night, which leaves soooo many unanswered questions: why in the middle of the night? Why were 3 cop cars necessary? What's the DEAL with that family? Why would anyone in this neighborhood even OWN a Hummer?? Their dog barked at me for the solid 20 minutes I spent weeding my garden yesterday afternoon, and I could hear people in the house talking, so I'm SURE they could hear their poor dog freaking out at me. Too bizarre.
I know I promised you a Seattle/Rolling Meadows recap, but I don't think anybody really cares, and I posted lots of pics on Facebook anyway. I've got to hit some laundry and dishes. Ciao!
Well I just can't figure out this crazy weather. It's 90 degrees with blinding sunshine for a full week, and now it's overcast and about 55 at 8:30 AM. I really admire Minnesotans who choose to put a permanent pool in their backyards -- those are just the kind of glass-is-half-full eternal optimists that this world probably needs more of.
Took Ed in for his 3-month checkup and he is most assuredly a three-year-old boy. He got a giant kick out of the hearing test -- "I hear it mommy! I hear it!"
Lucy is my resident grumpy stick-in-the-mud -- I made plans today to take the kids to the Minnesota Zoo: the expensive, nice, far-away zoo in the area. Lucy, upon hearing of these plans, made a face and said she didn't want to go. Well, I'm not going to twist her arm and drag her across the metro against her will. She wants to stay home so we can get the free lunch that the playground down the street serves every weekday. That girl is one cheap date.
Last Saturday, Joel and Jean and Cameron and the rest of the girls from our coed softball team all competed in the Tri-Loppet in Minneapolis: 11k canoe, 5k trail run, 15k mountain bike. It was HARD and kinda miserable, and it really illustrated for me what dreadful shape I am in. OK don't get me wrong: the literal shape of me is fine, but all my lovely muscles have converted into mooshy flesh and bone and I hate it. After watching "So You Think You Can Dance" last Wednesday, I made a new-year resolution (it was my birthday, so it's a new year for me!) to exercise more regularly. Jean and I went for a run last night along the river and it was really perfect. Running really isn't my thing, but I can do 30 minutes every now and then.ooooooiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
OK I think I got the I key fixed. Gotta get moving on laundry and maybe organizing the kids' toys (again). Why is that such a nightmare?!?! I go to other people's houses and their kids' toys all seem to have places to be... not here! There's junk everywhere, nothing has all the pieces it came with, and nothing gets put away when it's done being played with.
Our neighbors' Hummer got towed at 11PM last night, which leaves soooo many unanswered questions: why in the middle of the night? Why were 3 cop cars necessary? What's the DEAL with that family? Why would anyone in this neighborhood even OWN a Hummer?? Their dog barked at me for the solid 20 minutes I spent weeding my garden yesterday afternoon, and I could hear people in the house talking, so I'm SURE they could hear their poor dog freaking out at me. Too bizarre.
I know I promised you a Seattle/Rolling Meadows recap, but I don't think anybody really cares, and I posted lots of pics on Facebook anyway. I've got to hit some laundry and dishes. Ciao!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Mama why is tomorrow only a day away?
Something about our yard must make it look like an inviting place to take a stroll.
Once a year or so, I spy a random person walking from our street straight back through our yard toward the alley. They always stay on the sidewalk, and they typically walk with purpose. I think many of our neighbors have fences that make such cut-throughs impossible; also, we're on part of a big hill and I can see how cutting through our property can lop off a big downhill followed by a steep climb, if one were traveling a certain path.
So just now, as I sit at my computer looking out at the verdant jungle that is my backyard, I watched a gal walking up toward our garage. When she reached the alley she turned left and disappeared behind our garage, only to materialize moments later walking to the right. I then watched her stop, turn, and start to sprint back toward the left. The second she vanished (again) behind out garage, I saw a gigantic white truck ZOOMING toward her down the alley.
I never heard a crash or a scream so I assume she made it. If it had been a cartoon the timing would have been mildly amusing, and in real life it was just-- sorta-- interesting to watch.
Whatever, I gotta go pick some rhubarb. Anybody want any??
Once a year or so, I spy a random person walking from our street straight back through our yard toward the alley. They always stay on the sidewalk, and they typically walk with purpose. I think many of our neighbors have fences that make such cut-throughs impossible; also, we're on part of a big hill and I can see how cutting through our property can lop off a big downhill followed by a steep climb, if one were traveling a certain path.
So just now, as I sit at my computer looking out at the verdant jungle that is my backyard, I watched a gal walking up toward our garage. When she reached the alley she turned left and disappeared behind our garage, only to materialize moments later walking to the right. I then watched her stop, turn, and start to sprint back toward the left. The second she vanished (again) behind out garage, I saw a gigantic white truck ZOOMING toward her down the alley.
I never heard a crash or a scream so I assume she made it. If it had been a cartoon the timing would have been mildly amusing, and in real life it was just-- sorta-- interesting to watch.
Whatever, I gotta go pick some rhubarb. Anybody want any??
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Home sweet Hades
OK so life with a deck is pretty good! The kids and I have breakfasted out there both mornings we've been home, and I LOVE sipping coffee in the fresh air. I also like the built-in clock that is the sun rising over the neighbors' tree. When the rays hit Ed's eyes, it's time to pack up the cereal and tuck back into the house for the most-but-not-every-morning ritual of getting dressed and brushing teeth.
My guess is my kids can sense a thunderstorm, because they have been On Edge the last day or so and now we're amid a lovely late-spring shower and they are ripping each other's hair out, screaming, while I silently stare at the clouds, willing them to part and dry the grass so I can kick the kids out and bang my head on the floor in peace and quiet.
Fate has not been on the side of me getting my Seattle/Chicago pics up -- the camera is, as I type, in the glove box of the van, which is merrily parked in the garage which is, unfortunately, across the yard from my house. Last week Lucy drew a picture of our house, and then she smiled at me as she added a box on the side. "You know what this is attached to the house Mommy?" she says, "It's what you've always wanted... a garage!!" Indeed, my kingdom for an attached garage. Though as I told Carol yesterday, I'd totally settle for a bathroom on the same level as my bedroom.
My guess is my kids can sense a thunderstorm, because they have been On Edge the last day or so and now we're amid a lovely late-spring shower and they are ripping each other's hair out, screaming, while I silently stare at the clouds, willing them to part and dry the grass so I can kick the kids out and bang my head on the floor in peace and quiet.
Fate has not been on the side of me getting my Seattle/Chicago pics up -- the camera is, as I type, in the glove box of the van, which is merrily parked in the garage which is, unfortunately, across the yard from my house. Last week Lucy drew a picture of our house, and then she smiled at me as she added a box on the side. "You know what this is attached to the house Mommy?" she says, "It's what you've always wanted... a garage!!" Indeed, my kingdom for an attached garage. Though as I told Carol yesterday, I'd totally settle for a bathroom on the same level as my bedroom.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Progress through participation
I'm still in Rolling Meadows, posting from my parents' desktop that is starting to sound like it's going to self-destruct any second. Maybe look for new pics on Sunday or Monday, and notes from our adventures. In the meantime...
We were sitting at dinner, eating chicken fingers and zucchini-fries (SUPER yummy, BTW) and reliving funny moments with the kids. My dad mentions that while I was in Seattle, he took the kids into the yard to splash in the kiddie pool, and before he knew it Lucy had stripped down to her birthday suit and was running around in her me-oh-my.
Lucy, listening, shakes her head, smiling like a much-older person, and mutters "What will the neighbors think?"
OK OK and Eddie the other morning crawled into his chair at breakfast and declared "I'm a VERY busy woman!"
And if only I could capture the inflection in Ed's voice when he calls "Graaaaam-paw..." Sooo funny.
Joel and Jean will be joining us at my folks' tomorrow, and we'll be at the Twins/Cubs game Friday afternoon! I'm afraid I missed my peonies blooming this year, which makes me very sad. Joel promises there's "stuff" growing in the garden but I am skeptical and trying desperately to keep my curiosity at bay, until we get back.
My folks are rock-stars for putting up with me and these crazy kids.
We were sitting at dinner, eating chicken fingers and zucchini-fries (SUPER yummy, BTW) and reliving funny moments with the kids. My dad mentions that while I was in Seattle, he took the kids into the yard to splash in the kiddie pool, and before he knew it Lucy had stripped down to her birthday suit and was running around in her me-oh-my.
Lucy, listening, shakes her head, smiling like a much-older person, and mutters "What will the neighbors think?"
OK OK and Eddie the other morning crawled into his chair at breakfast and declared "I'm a VERY busy woman!"
And if only I could capture the inflection in Ed's voice when he calls "Graaaaam-paw..." Sooo funny.
Joel and Jean will be joining us at my folks' tomorrow, and we'll be at the Twins/Cubs game Friday afternoon! I'm afraid I missed my peonies blooming this year, which makes me very sad. Joel promises there's "stuff" growing in the garden but I am skeptical and trying desperately to keep my curiosity at bay, until we get back.
My folks are rock-stars for putting up with me and these crazy kids.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Posting from Rolling Meadows
Joel and I had a fabulous trip to Seattle -- it's really a fantastic city.
Pix and full synopsis to follow (I didn't bring the camera cord and I don't think my folks' computer has the right software, anyway).
Anyway, so now I'm in Chicagoland for the next 10 days, without much in the way of plans. Nice way to start the summer...
Pix and full synopsis to follow (I didn't bring the camera cord and I don't think my folks' computer has the right software, anyway).
Anyway, so now I'm in Chicagoland for the next 10 days, without much in the way of plans. Nice way to start the summer...
Monday, May 18, 2009
Sooo THAT'S why they call it "sod-busting"
I'm a sod-buster!! I feel like that is how my last three days (oops, I started writing this post on Monday night, I think, and only just now have found time to finish it) have been spent -- turning Joel's idea of a paltry 10' x 8' "garden" into the horticultural wonderland that's going to be my yard, if everything lives and if I remember to water and if I ever figure out "pruning" and if I know when-the-heck to harvest.
I have to get Carol to draw me a map of my yard so I can show you. I expanded last year's plot into hmmm, well I'm not super-good at estimating... maybe 15' x 12'? Which encompasses our existing rhubarb, raspberries, strawberries, bell peppers, spinach, the "walking onion" which I still don't fully understand, 2 kinds of peas, carrots, radishes, and ending with 2 kinds of watermelon, and pumpkins.
The space we had the African Killer Sunflowers last year (which is the little strip of dirt between the parking pad and the fire pit) are getting a new crop of ECFE sunflowers -- five seedlings made it out of the milk-carton containers and into the ground. And I read you can do squash near sunflowers (and also I misplaced my zucchini seeds for a few days, so they didn't make it into the Master Plot), so I put in seeds for three zuke bushes in that strip as well.
Tomatoes and basil went in the tomatoes' usual home, up against the garage. And I dug out a 2' strip on either side of our front steps, in an attempt to prettify the front yard (which is TOTALLY pointless since we never use the front of our house, but it remains the front of our house and it is pretty sad-looking) by planting some begonias and rudbeckia there.
Joel also (last weekend) managed to plant my new (used) clothesline poles, found on Craigslist of course, and lovingly retrieved by Joel via 2 trips to Cottage Grove (about 15 minutes south of here). The gal who had them at her house is about 12 months pregnant so I'm going to cut her some slack for not being able to describe the poles over the phone to me AT ALL. I asked her the approximate 1. size... 2. color... 3. material... and 4. weight of the poles, and she said she didn't really know... which is totally ridiculous, since I took one glance at the poles (really T-bars) and could see that the appropriate answers would have been "1. enormous, you'll need a truck; 2. white with rusty spots; 3. metal with the concrete still attached to the bottom from the previous planting; and 4. approximately six tons each. Instead I sent Joel down to CG the first time with the notion that he might be dealing with some PVC pipe that could easily stash in the minivan. Ooops.
JG also poured the 6 cement footings for our deck!! I am trying not to get too excited about the deck, but it's going to be really nice to have it.
Anyway, Sunday night we all sat down for dinner and Joel and I tucked into the meal like 2 farmhands. Being bone-tired and crazy-hungry felt unusual and interesting. And good.
Monday I did heaps more planting (which I'm SURE is all for naught after this crazy last 2 days of 90-degree-weather and godawful winds -- I haven't been able to keep ANYTHING watered for more than three minutes, and I bet all the seeds have eigher washed away or been devoured by the squirrel infestation in our yard. Seriously, I have NEVER seen so many squirrels. Eddie was chasing them around yesterday like a crazed spaniel. He names them all "Jumpy" and calls them "squee-yos" or "chick-munks" if he forgets.
Some will win, some will lose... some're born to sing the blues
Honestly, I want to blog about AI and Glee (MY NEW FAVORITE SHOW, cannot WAIT for fall!!) but the heat & wind combo today has sapped all my creative energy. No really, I feel completely beaten. I do want to note (re: Glee) that I about freaked when I heard they named their show choir "New Directions." (That was the name of my HS show choir, in case anybody besides my parents are reading this.) And I also want to note that I've read in several places that critics are worried that Glee will be disappointing to their "target market" of 11-17 year olds. I'm sure the 11-17 niche is more desirable than I am, but I AM THE TARGET MARKET FOR THIS SHOW. Whether or not that means it will be a successful series, I do not care to speculate.
Oh! Another marketing note. When I take dance classes, I do so at Phil Alesso's Dance Spectrum studio on Grand Ave (or maybe technically Chatsworth St?) in St. Paul. I take lessons for a few weeks, then life intervenes but I always go back. Anyway, they are just darlings there, and the studio is non-competitive, and if you are looking for a place to take dance lessons (ballet-tap-jazz for kids thru grownups) I cannot speak too highly of them. I think they could really use some new, enthusiastic students, so consider going, OK? Summer classes restart June 15, I think. I may also have Lucy start lessons there in the fall.
I also was reading some letter-to-the-editor in the PiPress today, criticizing Minn. Governor Tim Pawlenty's anti-tax statement that "Everybody is struggling." I will paraphrase, but the letter reminded readers that NOT everybody is struggling. Many, many people still have jobs. And to some degree, the still-employed have a responsibility to keep this economy plugging along. So I'm not saying we should all go into sloppy, unbounded debt, but for me it was something to think about.
I have to get Carol to draw me a map of my yard so I can show you. I expanded last year's plot into hmmm, well I'm not super-good at estimating... maybe 15' x 12'? Which encompasses our existing rhubarb, raspberries, strawberries, bell peppers, spinach, the "walking onion" which I still don't fully understand, 2 kinds of peas, carrots, radishes, and ending with 2 kinds of watermelon, and pumpkins.
The space we had the African Killer Sunflowers last year (which is the little strip of dirt between the parking pad and the fire pit) are getting a new crop of ECFE sunflowers -- five seedlings made it out of the milk-carton containers and into the ground. And I read you can do squash near sunflowers (and also I misplaced my zucchini seeds for a few days, so they didn't make it into the Master Plot), so I put in seeds for three zuke bushes in that strip as well.
Tomatoes and basil went in the tomatoes' usual home, up against the garage. And I dug out a 2' strip on either side of our front steps, in an attempt to prettify the front yard (which is TOTALLY pointless since we never use the front of our house, but it remains the front of our house and it is pretty sad-looking) by planting some begonias and rudbeckia there.
Joel also (last weekend) managed to plant my new (used) clothesline poles, found on Craigslist of course, and lovingly retrieved by Joel via 2 trips to Cottage Grove (about 15 minutes south of here). The gal who had them at her house is about 12 months pregnant so I'm going to cut her some slack for not being able to describe the poles over the phone to me AT ALL. I asked her the approximate 1. size... 2. color... 3. material... and 4. weight of the poles, and she said she didn't really know... which is totally ridiculous, since I took one glance at the poles (really T-bars) and could see that the appropriate answers would have been "1. enormous, you'll need a truck; 2. white with rusty spots; 3. metal with the concrete still attached to the bottom from the previous planting; and 4. approximately six tons each. Instead I sent Joel down to CG the first time with the notion that he might be dealing with some PVC pipe that could easily stash in the minivan. Ooops.
JG also poured the 6 cement footings for our deck!! I am trying not to get too excited about the deck, but it's going to be really nice to have it.
Anyway, Sunday night we all sat down for dinner and Joel and I tucked into the meal like 2 farmhands. Being bone-tired and crazy-hungry felt unusual and interesting. And good.
Monday I did heaps more planting (which I'm SURE is all for naught after this crazy last 2 days of 90-degree-weather and godawful winds -- I haven't been able to keep ANYTHING watered for more than three minutes, and I bet all the seeds have eigher washed away or been devoured by the squirrel infestation in our yard. Seriously, I have NEVER seen so many squirrels. Eddie was chasing them around yesterday like a crazed spaniel. He names them all "Jumpy" and calls them "squee-yos" or "chick-munks" if he forgets.
Some will win, some will lose... some're born to sing the blues
Honestly, I want to blog about AI and Glee (MY NEW FAVORITE SHOW, cannot WAIT for fall!!) but the heat & wind combo today has sapped all my creative energy. No really, I feel completely beaten. I do want to note (re: Glee) that I about freaked when I heard they named their show choir "New Directions." (That was the name of my HS show choir, in case anybody besides my parents are reading this.) And I also want to note that I've read in several places that critics are worried that Glee will be disappointing to their "target market" of 11-17 year olds. I'm sure the 11-17 niche is more desirable than I am, but I AM THE TARGET MARKET FOR THIS SHOW. Whether or not that means it will be a successful series, I do not care to speculate.
Oh! Another marketing note. When I take dance classes, I do so at Phil Alesso's Dance Spectrum studio on Grand Ave (or maybe technically Chatsworth St?) in St. Paul. I take lessons for a few weeks, then life intervenes but I always go back. Anyway, they are just darlings there, and the studio is non-competitive, and if you are looking for a place to take dance lessons (ballet-tap-jazz for kids thru grownups) I cannot speak too highly of them. I think they could really use some new, enthusiastic students, so consider going, OK? Summer classes restart June 15, I think. I may also have Lucy start lessons there in the fall.
I also was reading some letter-to-the-editor in the PiPress today, criticizing Minn. Governor Tim Pawlenty's anti-tax statement that "Everybody is struggling." I will paraphrase, but the letter reminded readers that NOT everybody is struggling. Many, many people still have jobs. And to some degree, the still-employed have a responsibility to keep this economy plugging along. So I'm not saying we should all go into sloppy, unbounded debt, but for me it was something to think about.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Daddy's little girl
Joel and Lucy and their matching knee-scrapes, with the additional bonus of their matching FACES. Totally not staged (the faces, I mean).
Joel is going to freak out that he's not wearing a shirt. Oooops.
Close-up on the owwies. Joel's is from softball -- Lucy's is from running out the door too fast after ECFE while wearing a dress, and taking a giant digger on the sidewalk. Lots of blood, lots of hollering.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
AI Top Three
Sorry, you'll have to link to my friend Heather's blog for a recap. My recap is in her comments. Too sleepy last night!
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Give yo' mama a big hug (and offer to rub her achy hammies)
Well after another marathon week (Grandpa visit, dance lesson, ECFE, dance lesson, dance lesson, drawing class, hailstorm, dance lesson, dance lesson, ECFE, ECFE, softball (a victory!), volleyball, dance lesson, doctor appointment, dance lesson, plant sale), I can put another class in the history books -- my preschool dance classes are finito for the school year.
This coming week will be much like the last, with added craziness on Thursday because Lucy has to register for preschool. In the immortal words of Charlie Brown: "AAAUUUGGGHHH!!"
Things begin to thin out quickly, though, as Memorial Day approaches: my various dance-teaching gigs are all totally done by May 27, and then I leave for Seattle (by way of Chicago) on May 29 or 30.
And since we won't be back until June 13 or 14, we miss the end of the school year and, to my dismay, a couple important ECFE parties. When we come back it'll be summer and I don't have a single thing to do until Lucy starts school on Sept. 10. WOW.
Back to the present, tho: About the instant the weather changed on Friday evening (from relatively summery, to rainy and cool), all the muscles in the back of my body (calves, hamstrings, back) cramped up, but other than that I woke up rarin' to go Saturday morning. As soon as Joel took off with the kids, I made an orderly, prioritized list and actually tackled most of the more important things on it: laundry, cleaning the kitchen sink and the bathroom (I used bleach; I know, I KNOW it's bad but I scarcely could stand to sit on my own toilet or turn on the faucet with my bare hands, it was so germy-gross), mowing the lawn, planning the week's meals*, harvesting my already-gone-to-seed rhubarb and then baking 2 pies and a cobbler out of the less-woody bits.
I was sighing to Joel about how happy I was with my accomplishments, when he gave me A Look and remarked that he was glad I'd gotten something done, because he mostly felt like he was just wrangling the kids all day, which he totally was, escorting them to theatre class and Menards and home and through lunch and into their post-lunch movie and into the bath. Joel is mostly a rock star.
We got the movie Ray from Netflix -- we'd never seen it. It was excellent!
Happy Mothers' Day to all the mamas, and everyone who's ever had a mama, out there.
This coming week will be much like the last, with added craziness on Thursday because Lucy has to register for preschool. In the immortal words of Charlie Brown: "AAAUUUGGGHHH!!"
Things begin to thin out quickly, though, as Memorial Day approaches: my various dance-teaching gigs are all totally done by May 27, and then I leave for Seattle (by way of Chicago) on May 29 or 30.
And since we won't be back until June 13 or 14, we miss the end of the school year and, to my dismay, a couple important ECFE parties. When we come back it'll be summer and I don't have a single thing to do until Lucy starts school on Sept. 10. WOW.
Back to the present, tho: About the instant the weather changed on Friday evening (from relatively summery, to rainy and cool), all the muscles in the back of my body (calves, hamstrings, back) cramped up, but other than that I woke up rarin' to go Saturday morning. As soon as Joel took off with the kids, I made an orderly, prioritized list and actually tackled most of the more important things on it: laundry, cleaning the kitchen sink and the bathroom (I used bleach; I know, I KNOW it's bad but I scarcely could stand to sit on my own toilet or turn on the faucet with my bare hands, it was so germy-gross), mowing the lawn, planning the week's meals*, harvesting my already-gone-to-seed rhubarb and then baking 2 pies and a cobbler out of the less-woody bits.
I was sighing to Joel about how happy I was with my accomplishments, when he gave me A Look and remarked that he was glad I'd gotten something done, because he mostly felt like he was just wrangling the kids all day, which he totally was, escorting them to theatre class and Menards and home and through lunch and into their post-lunch movie and into the bath. Joel is mostly a rock star.
We got the movie Ray from Netflix -- we'd never seen it. It was excellent!
Happy Mothers' Day to all the mamas, and everyone who's ever had a mama, out there.
*For the record, this week we're planning to eat:
1. Chicken-with-almonds-and-apples (actually this was tonight), baked in foil
2. Swedish meatballs (I'm really hoping I have all the ingredients for this) with noodles and canned cranberry sauce
3. Creole pork chops with potatoes and possibly a green salad, which might just mean romaine with ranch dipdip
4. Broccoli-rice-chicken bake
5. Leftover ham/bean soup
6. Pork chops with sauerkraut
7. Salmon ... somehow.
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